The Texas Tech Formula Society of Automotive Engineers is an organization that competes in the designing and production of its own, original Formula One race car.
The organization is based in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering, and the cars they build over a period of one year are taken to an annual competition for judging. There, they compete with 120 other vehicles from colleges and universities from around the world.
The team took a trip to Arlington late last week for the Texas Autocross Weekend, where they had the opportunity to compete with other teams from different universities and race their car at Pennington Field in Bedford to drive at an official Sports Car Club of America event.
Some of the other teams that participated were the University of New Mexico, the University of Texas, the University of South Florida, the University of Windsor, Wichita State University, the University of Kansas and more.
Ross Freehling, Chief Engineer of the Formula SAE, said the team had a great time and really enjoyed being there. He said they learned a lot and are going to put what they learned in Arlington toward the national competition next May at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.
“Besides the sunburn and lack of sleep,” Freehling said, “the trip to Arlington was pretty fun.”
Freehling, who has had a passion for Formula One racing ever since he graduated from high school, became a member in the fall 2009 semester with great determination. He said his job as Chief Engineer is to keep the design leaders motivated and to make sure their designs are compliant with the competition rules.
Freehling said there certainly is the possibility that he and his team will be going to nationals next summer. He said he has worked very hard and is determined to get his team up there to Michigan.
“I haven’t stayed with the team this long to just see it die and never go anywhere,” Freehling said. “I’ll be doing everything in my power to make it to Michigan in 2011.”
To Freehling, this organization is about having fun, making friends, learning, gaining experience and going as fast as possible.
Nischal Barrows, vice president of the Formula SAE, said he has had some of his best learning experiences through the organization, and he agrees with Freehling about its chances for nationals.
“We are going to try to attend the competition at Michigan in May 2011,” Barrows said. “There will be a lot of work and planning, but we can do it.”
Barrows said Formula SAE is an organization where students with interest in racing or automobiles meet up to build — from the ground up — a Formula One race car and push that car to its limits to compete against a large number of schools.
“Our goal is to build the ultimate race machine and train the best driver,” Barrows said, “so we can be on top of it all.”
Justin Rivera, president of the Formula SAE, said the team now is focused on finishing up the designs on its new car and looking for material donations to start fabricating it.
He said they have also recently received sponsorship from General Motors and Green Street Construction, but are looking for more because the project is an expensive one.
Rivera said for those who have a passion for motor sports, or simply those who have always wanted to be involved with Formula One racing, the Formula SAE is heavily recruiting students from all colleges.